Once upon a time, there lived a handsome young man - Megh (Cloud). One day, Megh left his village for the capital in search of a job. On his way to the capital, Megh stopped at many places to do small time jobs. By the time he reached the capital, Megh had earned five gold coins.
When Megh reached the capital, he heard that the Buddha Dipānkara was going to make an appearance. Everyone was so excited! Megh too wanted a glimpse of Buddha Dipānkara. He had heard so much about him. Here was a chance to see a Buddha in person! Megh did not want to meet the Buddha empty handed. But what do you gift a Buddha?
Suddenly she appeared, right in front of him, carrying five lotus flowers in her hands. It was as if the Goddess of Beauty, Rati had appeared in human form. She looked at Megh. He looked at her. The poet Kalidas has said that love begins with exchange of glances.
Her name is not mentioned in the scriptures so let's call her Pushpa (Flower). If you look closely, you can see the cloud in the flower and the flower in the cloud. So we will call her Pushpa.
"Those are beautiful lotus flowers! Where did you find them?", asked Megh.
Pushpa replied, "I bought three from the local florist and plucked the other two from the lake near my house."
"I was looking to buy a gift for the Buddha Dipānkara. Will you sell them to me?"
"Why should I? I intend to offer them to the Buddha myself."
"I will give you five gold coins."
"I don't care much for money."
"Ok. Keep the three that you bought from the florist and sell the other two to me."
"What's your name?"
"Megh."
"Listen Megh, flowers are a symbol of love and love is not for sale."
Megh didn't know what to say. Suddenly it was announced that the Buddha Dipānkara was going to appear on the stone platform. Pushpa slipped two lotus flowers into Megh's hands. He smiled. She smiled back. Second stage of love.
The Buddha began speaking. "Dear friends, look at this mango. But can you also see the mango tree? A mango tree comes from a mango seed, earth, water, air and sunshine. These elements are already present here but you are unable to see the mango tree. A mango tree is a sign. We are caught in signs. Where there are signs there is deception. The mango tree is right here but you don't see it because you are looking for certain signs. When those signs are not present we think the object is not present. We experience separation. We experience suffering. But I have some good news for you. Separateness is an illusion. We can awaken from this illusion. To be awake is to be mindful. The Five Mindfulness trainings are the practice of Right Mindfulness. They are an expression of true love. Learn to love. If you truly love, you can be together forever. You can be free from birth and death."
The crowd applauded. Megh and Pushpa were delighted. Megh threw a lotus in the Buddha's direction. It fell right into Buddha Dipānkara's hands. Pushpa too threw a lotus in Buddha Dipānkara's direction. That too fell right into his hands. Everyone cheered! Buddha Dipānkara smiled. He called Megh and Pushpa on to the stage. He could see true love blossoming in their hearts. He advised them to practice the Five Mindfulness trainings together.
A few days later, Megh and Pushpa married. They were happy.
At the age of 50, Pushpa died. Megh suffered. Separation causes suffering. Megh began to understand this. We suffer when we are separated from a person, an object or a condition that we desire. He truly loved Pushpa and did not want to live without her. What is the use of meeting if we must part? Everything ends in separation in samsara. There is no happily ever after in samsara.
Such experiences lead to one of the two things - despair or a quest. Pushpa's love and their practice of the Five Mindfulness trainings inspired Megh to find his way back to her.
Many years later, Megh was born as Prince Siddhartha in Kapilvastu (Kausambi). Pushpa was born as the Koliyan Princess Yashodhara. They never parted again. But that's a story for another day.
#ThichNhatHanh #5Mindfulness #Vijñaptimatra #TrueLove
When Megh reached the capital, he heard that the Buddha Dipānkara was going to make an appearance. Everyone was so excited! Megh too wanted a glimpse of Buddha Dipānkara. He had heard so much about him. Here was a chance to see a Buddha in person! Megh did not want to meet the Buddha empty handed. But what do you gift a Buddha?
Suddenly she appeared, right in front of him, carrying five lotus flowers in her hands. It was as if the Goddess of Beauty, Rati had appeared in human form. She looked at Megh. He looked at her. The poet Kalidas has said that love begins with exchange of glances.
Her name is not mentioned in the scriptures so let's call her Pushpa (Flower). If you look closely, you can see the cloud in the flower and the flower in the cloud. So we will call her Pushpa.
"Those are beautiful lotus flowers! Where did you find them?", asked Megh.
Pushpa replied, "I bought three from the local florist and plucked the other two from the lake near my house."
"I was looking to buy a gift for the Buddha Dipānkara. Will you sell them to me?"
"Why should I? I intend to offer them to the Buddha myself."
"I will give you five gold coins."
"I don't care much for money."
"Ok. Keep the three that you bought from the florist and sell the other two to me."
"What's your name?"
"Megh."
"Listen Megh, flowers are a symbol of love and love is not for sale."
Megh didn't know what to say. Suddenly it was announced that the Buddha Dipānkara was going to appear on the stone platform. Pushpa slipped two lotus flowers into Megh's hands. He smiled. She smiled back. Second stage of love.
The Buddha began speaking. "Dear friends, look at this mango. But can you also see the mango tree? A mango tree comes from a mango seed, earth, water, air and sunshine. These elements are already present here but you are unable to see the mango tree. A mango tree is a sign. We are caught in signs. Where there are signs there is deception. The mango tree is right here but you don't see it because you are looking for certain signs. When those signs are not present we think the object is not present. We experience separation. We experience suffering. But I have some good news for you. Separateness is an illusion. We can awaken from this illusion. To be awake is to be mindful. The Five Mindfulness trainings are the practice of Right Mindfulness. They are an expression of true love. Learn to love. If you truly love, you can be together forever. You can be free from birth and death."
The crowd applauded. Megh and Pushpa were delighted. Megh threw a lotus in the Buddha's direction. It fell right into Buddha Dipānkara's hands. Pushpa too threw a lotus in Buddha Dipānkara's direction. That too fell right into his hands. Everyone cheered! Buddha Dipānkara smiled. He called Megh and Pushpa on to the stage. He could see true love blossoming in their hearts. He advised them to practice the Five Mindfulness trainings together.
A few days later, Megh and Pushpa married. They were happy.
At the age of 50, Pushpa died. Megh suffered. Separation causes suffering. Megh began to understand this. We suffer when we are separated from a person, an object or a condition that we desire. He truly loved Pushpa and did not want to live without her. What is the use of meeting if we must part? Everything ends in separation in samsara. There is no happily ever after in samsara.
Such experiences lead to one of the two things - despair or a quest. Pushpa's love and their practice of the Five Mindfulness trainings inspired Megh to find his way back to her.
Many years later, Megh was born as Prince Siddhartha in Kapilvastu (Kausambi). Pushpa was born as the Koliyan Princess Yashodhara. They never parted again. But that's a story for another day.
#ThichNhatHanh #5Mindfulness #Vijñaptimatra #TrueLove
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